Michael Gash’s first goal for Boro gave Liam Daish’s side a first away win of the season.

But the hero was undoubtedly young keeper Callum Burton for a series of important saves which helped relegation-threatened Nuneaton to a first league double of the season.

Conditions were far from ideal and it was Alty who started the brighter with James Lawrie shooting left-footed from outside the box and Burton making a confidence-boosting early save.

Burton was then the saviour, the Shrewbury loanee twice denying Reeves as he broke straight through the Nuneaton defence, getting down low to keep out the first shot then standing up well to prevent the striker putting in the rebound.

That was the pick of the early chances with Scott Leather and Nicky Clee both threatening for the hosts.

Nuneaton did foray forward with Ryan Smith’s cross just too high for Gash. Reeves then came close to converting Adam Griffin’s teasing cross.

The visitors then went close when Adam Dawson sent James Armson on a run at goal but his shot took a slight deflection before going wide.

Altrincham thought they had found a way through when a free kick from Lawrie was turned in off the post by Tom Marshall, but the offside flag came to Boro’s rescue.

Five minutes before the break Lawrie went close with a header that was just wide.

Ryan Smith, arguably the best Boro player of the first half defensively, almost became the best offensively when he surged forward and saw his looping shot deflect onto the top of the bar and out for a corner.

Adam Walker then fizzed a shot on target which came off the chest of Stuart Coburn as it bounced awkwardly for the home keeper.

Burton, who was shaky a few days earlier against Telford was anything but as he saved a point-blank header from the dangerous Reeves as Boro looked for an offside flag.

Boro it was who made the breakthrough in the 68th minute Gash won a free kick which Smith took and when the ball came in he was on hand to tap in Gavin Cowan’s shot to the far post from barely a yard out.

The goal clearly rattled the hosts and Dawson saw a shot well saved by Coburn as they looked to cement their lead.

Inevitably, Alty pushed forward and when the ball presented itself to Reeves inside the box Burton did brilliantly to narrow the angle and make his fourth telling save of the afternoon.

After the injury-time agony against Telford, hearts were in mouths with six minutes of added time and in the very last of those minutes Reeves saw a shot saved by Burton low to his left and Connor Franklin was there to hack the ball to safety.

Nuneaton: Burton, Franklin, Cowan, Walker (for Quinn 87), Armson, Dawson, Streete, Gash, Smith (for Dean 74), Brown, Sodje. Subs: Starosta, Fowler, Richards.

Attendance: 1,025